Albania and North Macedonia have signed a new agreement aimed at significantly easing cross-border travel by removing duplicate border-control procedures at several shared crossing points.
Under the agreement, travelers and vehicles passing through the border crossings of Qafë Thanë Border Crossing, Tushemisht Border Crossing, and Gorica Border Crossing will undergo a single joint inspection instead of separate checks by both countries.
The measure is expected to reduce waiting times and ease congestion, particularly during the summer tourist season when long queues have become a recurring problem.
Once approved by the Albanian side and formally implemented, the system will mirror the successful joint-control model already operating on the border between Albania and Kosovo.
At the same time, local authorities in Pogradec and Struga are advancing plans to facilitate the movement of people and goods across Lake Ohrid. The initiative aims to strengthen economic cooperation, boost tourism, and create joint tourism packages linking destinations on both sides of the lake.
The importance of the agreement is underscored by traffic figures from the Qafë Thanë crossing, where more than 2.2 million travelers were processed last year alone. During peak summer months, vehicle queues have often stretched for several kilometers.
The new arrangement is expected to improve regional connectivity, support tourism, and further strengthen cooperation between Albania and North Macedonia.
